Tommy Bahama Challenge

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The Tommy Bahama Challenge is a golf event on the PGA Tour's "Challenge Season," a slate of Tour events that do not count towards the official money season.

Sponsored by the famous clothing company, Tommy Bahama, the event began in 2004, and pits a team of four golfers from the United States versus an international team of four golfers, each with a non-playing captain. It is held at the Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, and features a unique rule — only players 30 or under may be invited. In the inaugural event, scoring was also done unusually — each player was pitted against another for one-on-one matches; their scores were kept under stroke play rules, while the event's overall total was kept under match play rules. One player's win in a match earned his team a point. For the upcoming 2005 event, the format has been changed — all the matches and the event will be scored using match play rules.

In the event of a tie (which, in fact, actually took place in 2004), a sudden-death playoff takes place using the alternate shot rule (for example, on a par 4, one players hits the tee shot, another hits it onto the green from its spot on the fairway, yet another attempts a putt and misses, and the last member makes the second putt to finish the hole).

The event is broadcast on television in the United States by CBS, which then does not air the event until New Year's Day.

[edit] List of winners

Year Winning team and players Score Team captain Losing team and players Score Team captain Playoff summary (if one was needed)
2005 Geoff Ogilvy
Australia
Justin Rose
England
Tim Clark
South Africa
Kevin Na
South Korea
2-and-a-half points David Feherty Ryan Moore
Arron Oberholser
Zach Johnson
Ben Crane

United States of America
1-and-a-half points Gary McCord N/A
2004 Chad Campbell
Zach Johnson
Hank Kuehne
Chris Riley

United States of America
2 points Gary McCord Paul Casey
England
Ian Poulter
England
David Howell
England
Kevin Na
South Korea
2 points David Feherty U.S. won on first playoff hole